ONE evening, as a band of young children were assembled, listening to their teacher’s weekly lesson, he dwelt upon these precious words, “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” He felt the power of the words, and repeated them again and again. Verily the Lord who gave the word that evening did cause it to accomplish that which He pleased, and to prosper in the thing whereto He sent it.
Before the teacher sat a dear little boy, who listened with earnest attention to what was being said.
Poor Willie, although he was so young in years, was no stranger to real anxiety, for his father was a soldier, and was many hundred; of miles away from old England, fighting his country’s battles in Burmah.
When Willie reached home that evening he found his mother in tears.
“What’s the matter, mother?” he asked His sorrowing mother simply answered “Go away, my boy.”
Again Willie asked, “What’s the matter, mother?” with the same result, for she did not wish to burden her precious little son with her own heart’s grief.
Still Willie pleaded, “Why are you crying, mother?” until she could withhold no longer, and explained her deep anxiety for the safety of his father. Day after day she had been waiting and longing to receive a few lines from the far East, to assure her that the loved one was alive and well, but the long-expected letter had not come.
“Ask Jesus to send us a letter, mother,” said Willie.
“What’s the use of asking Him to send us a letter.”
“Oh, mother, teacher told us tonight that whatsoever we asked in prayer, believing, we should receive. Do ask Jesus to send us a letter.”
The boy was importunate, but his mother was not at all inclined to comply with his request. Then a happy thought crossed Willie’s mind―he would ask Jesus himself to send them a letter from his father.
He knelt down upon the floor, and, with his elbows resting in his mother’s lap, prayed aloud — “O Lord, teacher told us this evening that ‘whatsoever we asked, believing, we should receive;’ do please, Lord, send us a letter from father, for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.”
Having made his childish request known unto God, Willie went off to bed very contentedly.
His first words to his mother next morning were― “Is the letter come, mother?”
“There, don’t be foolish, my son: how can Jesus send us a letter from your father?”
“We asked Him to send us a letter from father, and I know He will,” said Willie, and, finding that the postman had not already knocked at their door, he pleaded so hard that his mother would allow him to go and meet the postman, and get the coveted letter, that she at length reluctantly consented.
He soon found the postman, and accosted him with, “Have you got a letter for my mother from father?”
“Who is your mother?”
“Mrs.―,” replied Willie, and the good-natured postman dipped his hand into his bag, and pulled out a large packet of letters. He untied the string, and in another minute or two, Willie was rushing homewards as fast as his little feet could carry him, with the precious letter in his hand.
“There, mother, I knew Jesus would send us the letter.”
With a joyful heart the poor woman took it from him, and opened it. It was indeed good news from a far country, for it certified that the husband and father was in good health and hoping soon to return home.
Some might be inclined to observe, “The letter would have come, whether Willie prayed for it or not.” To such a remark we would respond, “Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast Thou ordained strength’?”
Willie’s faith was greatly strengthened by its exercise, and it made him a happy little christian. The word accomplished even more than this, for Willie’s dear mother was not only convinced by what had passed of the power of prayer, she also learned to put her trust in the living God. She can, she does thank God, who put it into the heart of her little child to pray that a letter might be sent to them.
And if the reader of this simple narrative be only a little boy or girl, yet needing salvation, may this record of Willie’s prayer and of its gracious answer, encourage all to ask of God, for He has said, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” A.J.